9:10 PM
specialshowtoday
More than 10,000 police officers fill the Royal Plaza yesterday before returning to their stations. They were deployed to handle the anti-government rally staged by the Pitak Siam group on Saturday. THITI WANNAMONTHA
National police chief Adul Saengsingkaew, as director of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order, said he will propose that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra lift the ISA and four subsequent security orders issued to deal with the Pitak Siam rally.
After the four security orders issued under the ISA are lifted, police will remove barriers and obstructions and reopen roads ordered closed to maintain law and order.
The government imposed the ISA on Thursday. It was intended to remain in effect until this Friday, in three Bangkok districts covering the protest area and surroundings - Dusit, Phra Nakhon and Pomprap Sattruphai.
Ms Yingluck said yesterday security agencies would meet to assess the situation before reporting to the cabinet.
If they believe the situation has returned to normal, the government will lift the ISA, she said.
Ms Yingluck said she was pleased the protest ended early. Those who were arrested would be treated fairly, she said.
Police have released without charge 137 out of the 138 protesters detained during clashes with police on Saturday, People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) lawyer Puangthip Boonsanong said.
Only the driver of a six-wheeled lorry that broke through a police barrier at Makkhawan Rangsin bridge, wounding a number of officers, is still in custody.
Pol Maj Gen Supisal Pakdinaruenart, chief of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), said the driver was charged with the attempted murder of officers who were manning the barricade.
The case is being handled by CSD deputy chief Pol Col Prasopchoke Prommoon.
Pitak Siam leader Boonlert Kaewprasit said yesterday the group's lawyers would help defend the lorry driver.
Gen Boonlert also said he would resign as chairman of the alumni foundation of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School because he did not want to damage the organisation's reputation.
He insisted he had made the right decision in calling off the rally.
He said if the rally had continued into Saturday night, there was a chance that violence would occur, endangering the protesters' safety.
"I did not want to see anyone die. I am already very sad to see people injured," Gen Boonlert said.
The group will also take care of those injured and treated in hospitals, he said.
The Public Health Ministry said 82 people were injured in Saturday's clashes, of whom 22 are being treated at the Police Hospital. Of the 82 injuries, 52 were suffered by civilians, 29 by policemen, and one soldier was hurt.
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva criticised the government for ordering the police to use force against the protesters.
The government's invocation of the ISA was unjustified because no violence had taken place before the rally. The police gave the protesters no warning that tear gas would be used against them, he said.
Suriyasai Katasila, a coordinator of the Green Politics group, said the rally was not the end of the fight against ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose sister is prime minister.
Posted in: World news
0 comments:
Post a Comment